Until Next Time, My Darling
by FlashFiction
Summary: Susan Bones is at home, by herself, when her aunt appears in the fire. Susan talks of school and holidays and all the while Amelia listens intently. How could Susan possibly have known that these were to be the last few minutes of her aunt's life?


Susan Bones could never say why she lit the fire that day. It was not dark nor was it particularly cold. She just, on a whim, walked to the fireplace and piled log after log until orange flames were dancing and flicking their light across the wall. Susan was home alone, her family had gone to the shops. Her father had wanted her to come, but Susan insisted she would be fine. It wasn't like the Death Eaters were hunting her; they had other priorities. She sat in a chair and opened a book. She could have gone up to her room but she didn't. She just let the warmth of the fire wash over her.

As she read, she heard a noise coming from the fire. Placing the book down, Susan uncurled her legs and went over somewhat cautiously. She bent down and watched the flames when suddenly a face popped up.

It was a woman's face. She was middle-aged, but well kept. She had a long, elegant forehead and hair that fell to her shoulders then curled inwards. The flames made everything a sepia-orange colour, but it real life the woman's hair was greying-blonde. Her skin was pale and her eyes were a stormy blue.

"Amelia!" Susan said in surprise.

"Oh, Susan." her aunt said, giving a small smile. "Is, ah, anyone else at home?"

Her eyes darted around quickly and it occurred to Susan that she looked worried.

"No, sorry." Susan replied. "They've all gone out. I could send an owl for dad, if you'd like?"

"No, no." Amelia said. "I didn't want to speak to anyone in particular."

There was a small silence. Susan noted that her aunt was looking older. Amelia Susan Bones had always looked good for her age, but today something was different. Her cheeks were drawn in, like she'd lost some weight. The lines around her face were more inset than they had ever appear before.

"Are you alright?" Susan asked.

"Alright? Of course I am, my Darling!" Amelia scoffed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She smiled again. It was a sad smile, trying to hide some kind of pain. Susan decided not to bring it up.

"How are your holidays going?" Amelia asked.

"Fine." Susan nodded. "I'm looking forward to going back to school though. Apparation this year!"

"I'm sure you'll be wonderful." Amelia smiled, laughing a little at her niece's excitement.

The pair talked for a while. Well, Susan talked and Amelia listened. She had always been good at listening, Susan had found. No matter what was going on in her life, Amelia always made time for her. She had this way of making Susan feel like she was the most important person in the world, like her problems and stories were the most interesting. But she was distracted. Something in her eyes, in her manner, in the way she kept looking around.

"Amelia," Susan said, "you're not alright. You keep looking away. What's going on?"

Amelia stammered for a second, shaking her head as if to deny something, before she stopped and sighed. She looked up at Susan, her eyes not quite willing to meet her.

"They're coming for me." she whispered. "They're coming."

"Who?" Susan asked, her voice strained. "Who?"

Amelia smiled bitterly.

"Who do you think?"

Images of people in black cloaks and sinister masks flashed through Susan's mind. Stories of unspeakable horror and the reminiscences of her father came back to her: _They killed all of my family, Susan. My brother, his wife, their children, my father, my mother. All except me and Amelia. The Death Eaters_.

And now they were going to finish what they started.

"When?" Susan said.

"Minutes, I suspect." Amelia said, a little sadly. "My time is running out, Susan, Darling."

Susan stared, unable to believe what was happening.

"Run!" she begged. "Disapparate! Take a broom. Anything. Get out. Please!"

"I can't." Amelia said.

"Please!"

"I can't."

She took a breath.

"They've been watching me, Susan. My house is surrounded, it has been for days. If I take even one step outside, I'm as good as dead. I'm a prisoner. I can't run."

"So, you'll fight them?" Susan said, her voice high and childlike.

"Fight them?" Amelia laughed. "Well, I'll fight all right. But I can't win. Darling, I'll be out numbered."

"So you're going to die?" Susan squeaked.

"Everyone's going to die, Sweetheart." Amelia said.

"But not you, not now."

Susan was now crying, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why do they want you?"

"It seems that I am one of the candidates for replacing the Minister for Magic." Amelia explained cooly. "Rather than deal with me later, they'd rather take me out now. I should see it as a compliment really, a nod to my work ethic."

"How can you joke like that?" Susan sobbed.

"Darling, I'm resigned to my fate." Amelia sighed. "I know that, as I can't live, I will undoubtedly die. And, at present, I'm making peace with the idea."

"It's such a waste." Susan whispered, her voice hoarse from the crying.

At this, Amelia straightened up.

"No. It will not be a waste. I will be but the first of many to fall. These are dark times and sacrifices must be made. But they will not, any of them, be a waste. Because my death will show that, somewhere in the darkness, someone was afraid of me. Somewhere out there, somebody thought I was a big enough threat. It will show that what we face is only human and that it _can _be beaten."

Her eyes flashed and Susan caught a glimpse of the woman who had dominated a man's world, been the representative of fairness and equality and who someone definitely had every reason to be afraid of. There was a crash from somewhere in the background and Amelia quickly turned her head.

"They're here now. I have to go."

Susan didn't speak, her tears suppressing all her words.

"Be strong." Amelia smiled.

She took one last look at her niece and whispered, "until next time, my Darling," before stepping backwards and disappearing into her destiny.


End file.
